Ellery Adams Murder In The Reading Room

I did it! I was able to buy, download, and read within three days ! My first cozy mystery of 2020!!! This for me is a dream come true, being able to concentrate, retain and complete a cozy written by one of my favorite authors feels amazing. For those of you who may be new to my blog, I have dyslexia, and have worked on my reading for years. In 2018 I read and reviewed more than 200 + cozy mysteries, but in 2019 I had to step back, finding looking after my father, made it next to impossible for me to read or retain anything. My father passed away last March and I have made many changes to my own life, reading however did not bounce back as I had hoped.  I am beyond thrilled to have been able to set aside time to read and thoroughly enjoy the simple joy of curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.

I have read each book in Ellery Adams Book Retreat Mystery series, and I just finished reading Murder in the Reading Room. I ordered my kindle copy from Amazon.ca and I absolutely loved it. I have gotten to know and love each character and story line in this series as if I was a member of the "Fins" a group of trained people sworn to protect main character Jane and her family as they are guardians of  a powerful and mysterious secret library. They operate a book retreat that any book lover would dream of attending, the best food, like minded bibliophiles, a picturesque location and a set of twin boys that will melt your heart. This book sent me on twists and turns I had not expected and thrilled me to no end. Putting it down felt like saying good bye again to some truly remarkable friends, this book has left me with one of the best book hangovers, so long over due.

  Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a paradise for book lovers who come from all over for literary getaways. But manager Jane Steward is temporarily leaving for another renowned resort—in hopes of solving a twist-filled mystery . . .
 Jane’s boyfriend is missing, and she thinks she may find him at North Carolina’s historic Biltmore Estate. Officially, she’s there to learn about luxury hotel management, but she’s also prowling around the breathtaking buildings and grounds looking for secret passageways and clues. One of the staff gardeners promises to be helpful . . . that is, until his body turns up in the reading room of his cottage, a book on his lap. When she finally locates the kidnapped Edwin, his captor insists that she lead him back to Storyton Hall, convinced that it houses Ernest Hemingway’s lost suitcase, stolen from a Paris train station in 1922. But before they can turn up the treasure, the bell may toll for another victim . . .

*I am not an amazon affiliate and I will not get paid if you follow the link here to the kindle addition on amazon.ca  

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a long over due Cozy Mystery Review post. I would love to hear from you so please leave me comment here or email me at karnemowen@gmail.com 

May Day Murder by Jennifer David Hesse

I read May Day Murder in January and with all that had been going on in my life I realized only this morning that I had yet to review it. Jennifer David Hesse, is one of my most favorite Paranormal Cozy authors. The Wiccan Wheel Mystery Series Main character is Attorney Keli who tries hard not to announce her religious faith to the world, preferring the life and freedom of an solitary witch, yet somehow no matter what seems to happen it is her faith that she calls upon or is called into question to help solve murder mysteries. In May Day, Keli is put to the test almost immediately and when Keli is made a person of interest the web gets more and more tangled. Keli finds herself questioning everything including her faith. This is a great read and one I know that many of you will truly enjoy.

Spring is in the air, but for Edindale, Illinois, attorney Keli Milanni, murder is the only thing blooming . . .  Keli’s looking forward to Beltane, the time-honored Wiccan holiday that celebrates life with feasting, ceremonial dancing, and ancient Celtic rituals. But since recently leaving her law firm and opening her own practice, Keli has more on her plate than simple abundance. Still, she always has time for a friend. Erik, a Druid from a neighboring town, has had a run of bad luck he blames on a curse cast by his ex-girlfriend Denise, a practicing witch whose expertise in the dark arts can’t save her from her own deadly end. When Keli finds herself a person of interest in the investigation, she begins to wonder if she herself might be cursed. With a little help from her friends, including her devoted boyfriend Wes, Keli aims to find out who poisoned Denise. What she uncovers is a witch’s brew of spells, hexes, and black magic that raises questions about her own Wiccan worldview. As the community gathers for the May Day festivities, it’s up to Keli to stop a killer from springing ahead to another murder . . .

This Kensington release is out now and waiting for you to pick up and enjoy. I am not an Amazon affiliate, and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Pie Hard by Kirsten Weiss

Greetings readers! I am happy to report that I have read and am ready to review Pie Hard, a new Kensington release, February 26, 2019 by Kirsten Weiss. This is the third book in the Pie Town Series, and in my opinion is the best so far. In this cozy mystery, main character Valentine Harris finds herself in one heck of a crazy reality check, I was entertained and intrigued through the entire book and never had it or the multiple and clever plot twists figured out. I struggled to put the book down and very much enjoyed long stretches of this book whenever I could. I think this is a terrific book and a fun series. I loved the title, the premis, cover and book.

Will Val pie hard on national TV? Business at the bakery may have slowed down, but Val Harris isn’t about to eat humble pie—not until a reality cooking show decides to whip the struggling Pie Town into shape. If Val can tolerate criticism from an abrasive pastry chef during filming, the free publicity might turn the unusual opportunity into the sweetest deal she didn’t know she needed. Except no one in San Nicholas has an appetite for dessert once murder steals the spotlight. When the show’s bossy producer gets pushed to her death, Val and her flaky, septuagenarian pie crust expert, Charlene, follow crumbs in hopes of finding the killer. But with cameras still rolling and the shocking identity of the victim’s replacement a guaranteed recipe for disaster, Val needs to stay cool long enough to solve the crime and keep Pie Town from falling apart—or else she just might go up in smoke before she ever graces the small screen.

Pie Hard can be found on Amazon by clicking here (Please know I am not an amazon affiliate.) 

Thank you for your patience, and for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com